Post Titled: KYRGYZ NATIONAL GAMES
in lieu of a ball there is a goat...

info copied from youtube description: "AT CHABISH - Popular horse racing.
KUNAN CHABISH - Racing foals, two to three years old.
ULAK TARTYSH" or "KOK BORU" - Literally Goat Snatching also known as Buz Kashi in other part of Central Asia. Two teams of expert horsemen snatch a goat in a cross country racing mutch. A very widespread game amongst the Kyrgyz, Kazakh, Tajik, and Uzbek. The name "kok-boru" mean, "gray wolf. In fact this original game is very ancient. It is appeared in those remote times when herds of cattle grazed in the steppes and mountains all year round without a shelter or top dressing exposed to the attacks of wolves. Having no firearms the shepherds could not deal with wolves on the spot. Brave djigits (young men) chased after the wolves until the beasts of pray ran off their feet, then began beating them with slicks and lashes, trying to snatch it away from each other. Later "kok-boru" was replaced by "ulak tartysh''. At present time this game is played on green meadows of high mountain pastures as well as on racecourses. To seize a goat in the center of the field and deliver it into the gates of the contesting team is the objective of the game.

"OODARYSH" - wrestling on horseback: Two riders try to pull each other off the horseback. It is allowed to throw the rival together with his horse. The time given for wrestling is 10 minutes. The rider who manages to pull the rival off his horse or throw him down together with the horse wins the competition. The rules allow the player to seize the rival by his sash or arms, by his torso, to press his knees or feet against the trunk of the rival's horse.

"KYZ KUUMAI" - Traditional game in which the boy on horseback must catch the girl and kiss her.
Previously the game was a part of the wedding. The bride, the bridegroom and a sister-in-law - with the friends took part in the game. The bride did her best to gallop away from her fiance; the sister-in-law assisted her in this. The bride was given the best racer and she entitled to begin the races, so the bridegroom was given a handicap in distance. The bridegroom set out in pursuit, he had to catch up with her in this way proving his love for her and his right to marry her. Being at a disadvantage the bridegroom sometimes failed to catch up the girl. Yet she did not reject him and the wedding was not canceled. Following the tradition the man rider is given a 20 meters handicap. The young man has to catch up with the girl and kiss her while galloping or at least touch her with his headdress. Galloping back it is the girl who chases the young man and in case she catches him up she takes off his headdress. This is regarded as the sign of her victory.

"ER-SIYSH" - Two riders try to pull each other off the horseback with pikes.
KURESH - Traditional wrestling.
TOGUZ KARGO'OL - Traditional game played with nine balls.

text from www.fantasticasia.net
video from Central Asian Tourism Corporation
Category: Travel & Events
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Кыргыз Улуттук Оюндары Ат Чабыш Улак Тартыш Кок-Бору Кыз-Куумай Курош Оодарыш Kyrgyz Kirghiz Kirgiz Ulak-Tartysh Kok Boru Oodarysh Kyz Kuumai Kurosh Киргизстан Киргизия национальные игры фильм music songs clip people yurta video film movies Central Asia Орто Азия"